Swedish Food

Some general features Swedish food often includes are dairy products, breads, berries, beef, pork, pickled fish and vegetables, cabbage and boiled potatoes served with a variety of sauces. 

There is a huge assortment of breads in the Sweden. Many of the breads are sweetened with different spices and it comes in all different shapes and sizes. Many meat products that are served in Sweden are accompanied with a  ligonberry jam.

 Ligonberry jam is very similar to the cranberry sauce that is served with turkey in Canada. It is a great supply of vitamin C and is so popular in Sweden due to the large number of Ligonberries that can be found in the forested areas and because jam is such an easy thing to prepare. 

 Fruit soups are served in Sweden a lot as well. One of the more popular soups is Rose Hip soup. This soup is made with rose hips, which is the fruit of the rose. Another very popular fruit soup that is served a lot is blåbärssoppa which is a blueberry soup. This soup can be served cold or hot depending on personal preferences. Due to the long and extremely cold winters in Sweden, fresh vegetables and fruits are not used very often in the regular Swedish cuisine. Some of the more popular vegetables that are used are, turnips and potatoes. 

 Some of the more popular Swedish desserts include, Ostkaka which is a type of Swedish cheesecake, Pannkaka which are what we call pancakes in Canada. In Sweden, pancakes are very rarely served as a breakfast dish, but more frequently as a dessert topped with a jam or whipped cream. They can also be served as a dinner item with pork and apples inside.

There seems to be many things in Sweden which seem to be very similar to the foods people in North America eat, they are just typically served at different times of the day or with different side dishes or just served in a different way.

Italian dining in Toronto

Toronto holds the name of most multicultural city in the world. With over 8,000 restaurants and eat outs to choose from, it has proven its strong reputation.

College Street has been the home to 'little Italy' for over 50 years with old school tradition of home style pasta cooking. College west from Bathurst street to Ossington you have a wide array of mom an pop shops, cafes and patios, bars and supper clubs to choose from. Oven baked pizzas with fresh ingredients prepared right in front of your face with old stone ovens. Instead of lavish decorations and Gotti  environments, the restaurants welcome you with a cozy home feel with dim lights, candles lit, dark traditional furniture, and a mix between lounge music or classic filling the air in the background. Instead of ketchup and your usual condiments at the table, here sits a bottle of olive oil and vinaigrette dressing to accompany your breads for dipping.

Wines are a must when dining in this area. From bold, heavy Shiraz's to a crisp Chardonnay, Italy upholds a notorious reputation for old recipes offering the fine aromas of Italy's grapes.  And lastly of course, pastas. Crafted dishes with heavy sauces and creams, seafood incorporated dishes, baked goods, and antipasto dishes with cold cuts, cheeses, and olives to indulge in are mandatory on the menu.